Washing machine having a filter



April 23, 1963 A. H. GERHARDT ETAL 3,036,380

WASHING MACHINE HAVING A FILTER Filed March 9; 1961 ll IQ H 5 1 if INVENTOR. fluomsw 4 4mm? 4 BY Mum/4 Yamng United States Patent 3,086,380 WASHING MACHINE HAVING A FILTER Andrew H. Gerhardt, Franklin. and William P. Yanik,

Melvindale, Mich, assignors to American Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Maryland Filed Mar. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 94,624 6 Claims. (CI. 68-47) The present invention relates to laundry equipment and more particularly to equipment therein having provisions for circulating and filtering the cleaning fluid.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in a laundry equipment a new and improved circulating system for the cleaning fluid to efiect a filtering thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved circulating system with a filtering arrangement which may readily be incorporated for use in a clothes washing machine and readily removed thereirom.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved circulating system for a clothes washing machine wherein the cleaning fluid or wash water is circulated and filtered without interference to or lessening of the turbulent washing action as effected by the movement of the dasher.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved circulating system for a clothes washing machine wherein the dasher moves in an orbital path and which may readily be utilized with an improved filtering device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved circulating system having a filtering arrangement therewith which is simple in construction, economical of manufacture and highly elficient in use.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, refercnce being bad to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a clothes washing machine embodying features of my invention and showing a portion thereof broken away and in cross section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in cross section of my invention taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates in general a laundry equipment which includes a combination washing and centrifuge drying machine having my new and improved device. The machine 20 includes a stationary tub 22 enclosed within a casing 24 having a top wall 26 in which is formed an access opening 28 closed by a hinged lid 30. Positioned within the tub 22 is a movable wash basket or receptacle 32. The basket 32 is positioned so that access thereinto is bad through the opening 28. Within the basket is an agitator or dasher 34 upon which is carried my circulating and filtering device designated generally by the numeral 36, together with a dispensing device 38.

The basket 32 and the agitator or dasher 34 are suitably connected and driven by a drive mechanism 44 which preferably is substantially as set forth in Patent No. 2,709,908 to Alpheus W. Altorfer, Jr. et al. The drive mechanism as shown includes a crank arm which extends vertically upwardly to form a post upon which is secured for carry the dasher 34. Preferably, the dasher does not rotate about the axis of the crankarm 40 but is carried to travel therewith in an orbital path 46, see FIG. 3, within the basket 32. This orbital movement is 3,986,380 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 ice also described in Patent No. 2,416,611 to I. A. Castricone. During the operation of the dasher 34 the basket 32 is held stationary and upon completion of the wash operation the basket 32 is rotatably spun to centrifuge the wash water from the basket into the stationary tub 22 for disposal. During the spinning or centrifuging operation the dasher 34 is locked in rotation with the spinning basket 32. The filtering device 36 is particularly efiective in a machine wherein the dasher moves in an orbital path.

The dasher 34 is formed at its upper end with a tubular neck or post section carried upon the crankarm 40 and locked thereto by a cap 52 which threads upon a threaded stud 54 carried by the crankarrn 40. The cap 52 is formed with a circumferential collar section 56 adapted to engage upon and clamp by circulating and filtering device 36 to a shoulder 58 formed on the neck or post section 50 of the dasher 34.

The circulating and filtering device 36 comprises a ring type container 60 that extends in a spaced concentric relation about the post section 50 of the dasher. The container 60 is formed having a horizontally extended perforated bottom wall 62 joined to concentrically spaced inner and outer imperforate vertically extending walls 64, 66. The outer wall 66 extends above the height of the inner wall 64 to be joined to a top wall 68 in which is formed a central opening 70 to provide access therethrough into the chamber 72 of the container. The inner wall 64 is in a spaced concentric relation to the post section 50 to form an open ended passage 74 therebetween that leads from the basket 32 into the chamber 72.

Extending across the upper or outlet end of the passage 74 is a plate or deflector 76. The deflector is connectively joined to and held in spatial relation from the inner wall 64 by radially extending ribs 78. The deflector 76 is shaped from adjacent its inner circumferential edge to extend in a radius upwardly and outwardly with the outer circumferential edge terminating in a spaced relation above the terminated end of the inner wall 64 to direct the outlet of the passage 74 in a horizontal direction into the chamber 72. The inner circumferential edge of the deflector is flanged, as at 80, to seat upon the shoulder 58 of the dasher and is clampingly held thereupon by the securement of the cap 52 upon the threaded stud 54.

The dasher 34 is provide with a plurality of radially outwardly extended vanes or paddles 82. Some of the paddles 82 extend substantially the longitudinal or vertical axial length of the dasher with their upper ends tapering to terminate adjacent the neck or post section 50. Preferably the container 60 is arranged upon the post section 50 so that the tapering ends of the paddles 82 project into and terminate within the lower portion of the passage 74.

Secured in a spaced relation to and above the cap 52 by spacer studs 88 is the dispensing device 38 for automatically dispensing a conditioning agent which is substantially set forth in a patent application Serial No. 763,666, filed September 26, 1958 by Henry W. Altorfer and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. Briefly, the dispenser comprises a cup shaped container or receptacle 92 having a top access opening 94 closed by a lid '96 and an outlet opening closed by a valve 102. The valve 102 is Operatively held in closed position by a spring pressed latch member 104 adapted to engage a shoulder 106 formed on a valve stem 108.

The latch member 104 is provided with a weighted section 110 which is responsive to centrifugal force to move the latch member 104 out of engagement with the shoulder 106 permitting a spring 112 to lift or unseat the valve 102 and open the outlet opening 100 to permit an outlet flow of the contents from the receptacle 92. The contents may be a conditioning agent such as bleach,

detergent, water softening agent, or the like. The contents are emptied upon the surface of the cap 52 and the deflector 76 from which the flow is downwardly to pass into and through a passage 114, formed in the deflector 76, to enter the basket 32.

In the operation of the machine the basket 32 is filled with a load of clothes and cleaning fluid or water so that the level of the wash water is approximately at the level 120. It is to be noted that the filtering device 36 is positioned in the basket above the static or normal wash water level 120. This location of the filtering device 36 also locates the entrance to the passageway 74 above the water level 120 which necessitates that the washing fluid, particularly the surface water, be splashed upwardly into the filtering device, and this action is continuously eifected by the continuously moving agitator during the washing period. For the wash and the rinse cycle the basket 32 is held stationary and the agitator or dasher 64 is operated to travel within the basket 32. The movement of the dasher 64 agitates the body of water to circulate in a path downward adjacent the dasher, outward along the bottom of the basket, upward along its sides and inward towards the dasher. The surface water, particularly as the agitator is moving in an orbital path, is forced inwardly against the post section 50 to be directed in an upward travel through the passage 74 and against the deflector 76 to flow into the chamber 72. From the chamber 72 the water drains through the perforated bottom wall 62 back into the basket. The bottom wall 62 is formed with openings, or perforations 122 of such size as to entrap and separate lint and other foreign matter for retention in the chamber 72.

By my present arrangement the scum, lint, dirt and other foreign matter that floats or is carried during the agitation of the water at and near the surface is continuously being removed during the period or periods that the agitator is in motion. Thus the surface is kept clean without requiring additional water in the basket for an overflow to carry off the foreign substances during the washing period. In the rinse operation where an overflow is considered necessary to carry off suds the walls of the container together with the position of the container on the agitator is such that the overflow cannot wash or flood out the lint and other foreign matter that was collected during the wash operation into the rinse water.

The container 60 is readily removable from the dasher for cleaning by unthreading the cap 52 from the threaded stud 54. The cap- 52 and the dispenser 90 are preferably removable as a unit.

Before the washing operation the valve 102 of the dispenser 38 is manually moved to closed position whereupon the spring pressed latch automatically locks the valve in closed position to permit filling the dispenser with a suitable detergent or the like. After the washing operation the wash water is centrifuged from the basket into the stationary tub. The dasher is locked in spinning rotation with the basket and this spinning causes the weighted section to move and release the latch member from the valve to allow unseating of the valve. As the spinning or rotational movement ceases the contents in the receptacle 92 will flow out the opening 100 towards and through the passage 114 into the basket refilling with rinse water.

From the foregoing it will be noted that we have provided a new and improved splash filter system. In the present instance the dasher has radial fins or paddles and moves in an orbital path to cause the surface water to be splashed upwardly into the opening of the filter. This avoids the use of a pump.

Although only a preferred from of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from 4 the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids, 3. dasher having a vertically extending axis and paddles extending substantially radially outwardly and longitudinally to the axis of said dasher, means for actuating said dasher for continuously moving said fluids upwardly adjacent thereto, filter means carried by said dasher in spaced relation therewith, an opening being a spatial distance above the static level of the fiuid in said basket and being cooperatively formed between said dasher and said filter means for receiving said upwardly moving fluids therethrough, and a deflector for directing said fluids towards the filter part of said means.

2. A Washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids, a dasher having a vertically extended axis and paddles extending substantially radially outwardly and longitudinally to the axis of said dasher, means for actuating said dasher in an orbital path for continuously moving said fluids upwardly adjacent thereto, filter means being above the static level of the fluid in said basket and being carried by said dasher in spaced relation therewith, an opening between said dasher and said filter means for receiving said upwardly moving fluids therethrough, and a deflector for directing said fluids toward the filter part of said means.

3. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids, a dasher, means for continuously splashing said dasher in an orbital path for moving said fluids upwardly externally adjacent thereto, and filter means car ried by said dasher, said filter means being laterally spaced from said dasher to provide an opening therebetween for passage therethrough of said upwardly splashed fluids to said filter means, and said opening being above the static level of the fluid in said basket.

4. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids, a dasher movable within said basket to actuate said fluids, drive means connected for moving said dasher, said dasher having a vertically extended axis and including paddles extending substantially radially outwardly and longitudinally to the axis of said dasher and a neck section, said neck section being concentric to the axis of said dasher and extending from and above the terminable ends of said paddles, a container having a chamber, support means extending from said container and being secured to said dasher, said container being formed to extend circumferentially about in a spaced relation to said neck section to cooperatively form therewith a longitudinally directed passageway therebetween, said container being longitudinally extended relative to the axis of said dasher to include in said passageway a portion of said paddles, said passageway having its lower end open for access thereinto from said basket, bafile means across the upper end of said passageway, an opening in said container between said battle means and the lower end of said passageway for interconnecting in open communication said passageway with said chamber, said container having communicating means between said chamber and said basket including filtering means, a dispenser means being secured to said dasher, said dispenser means being above Said baille means for dumping its contents thereupon, and an opening in said baflle means for conducting the dumped contents into said passageway.

5. A washing machine having a movable basket adapted to contain fluids, a dasher movable within said basket adapted to actuate said fluids, drive means connected and arranged to rotatably move said basket and said dasher in unison or to move said dasher independently while said basket is held stationary, said dasher having a vertically extended axis and including paddles extending substantially radially outwardly and longitudinally to the axis of said paddles and a neck section, said neck section being concentric to the axis of said dasher and extending from below to and above the terminable ends of said paddles, a predetermined distance, a container formed to extend circumferentially about said dasher comprising a pair of spaced concentric, vertical, imperforate walls interconnected by a. horizontally extended perforated wall, one of said impertorate walls being in spaced concentric relation to said neck section cooperatively forming therewith an open ended passageway therebetween extending from below to above the terminable ends of said paddles a predetermined distance, an annular imperforate Wall member extending transversely across said passageway and being in spaced relation above the terminable end of said last named imperforate wall, means interconnecting said last named imperforate Wall and said annular imperforate wall, and securing means attaching said annular imperforate wall to said neck portion of said dasher, a dispenser means attached to said dasher above said annular imperforate wall, said dispenser means being arranged to dump its contents upon said annular imperforate wall, and passage means in said annular wall for conducting the dumped contents into said passageway.

6. In a washing machine including a basket adapted to receive cleaning fluids to a predetermined level, a dasher having a vertically extended axis and movable within said basket to actuate said fluids, drive means connected to for moving said dasher in an orbital path within said basket, and said dasher being formed to extend above the level of fluid maintained in said basket, an open top container carried by said dasher above the level of fluid maintained in said basket, said container being formed to extend in spaced relation about said dasher, said container comprising spaced apart inner and outer imperforate vertical walls interconnected by a perforated horizontally extended bottom wall, said inner wall being in spaced relation to said dasher to form therebetween an open ended passageway, said open ended passageway having its lower open end a spatial distance above the static level of the fluid in said basket, a deflector member extending transversely across said passageway, rib members interconnecting said deflector member in securement with said inner wall, said deflector member being in engagement with said dasher, means for securing said deflector member to said dasher, and said deflector member being arranged to extend over the terminable edge of said inner Wall in spaced relation therewith to direct the flow from said passageway over said inner wall into said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,909,051 Altorfer Oct. 20, 1959 2,942,444 Abresch June 28, 1960 2,973,636 Devery Mar. 7, 1961 2,976,711 Smith Mar. 28, 1961 3,015,224 Oles Jan. 2, 1962 3,015,225 McWethy Jan. 2, i962 

3. A WASHING MACHINE HAVING A BASKET ADAPTED TO CONTAIN FLUIDS, A DASHER, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY SPLASHING SAID DASHER IN AN ORBITAL PATH FOR MOVING SAID FLUIDS UPWARDLY EXTERNALLY ADJACENT THERETO, AND FILTER MEANS CARRIED BY SAID DASHER, SAID FILTER MEANS BEING LATERALLY SPACED FROM SAID DASHER TO PROVIDE AN OPENING THEREBETWEEN FOR PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF SAID UPWARDLY SPLASHED FLUIDS TO SAID FILTER MEANS, AND SAID OPENING BEING ABOVE THE STATIC LEVEL OF THE FLUID IN SAID BASKET. 